


Of Brigands and Bravery

by Jaybird91, LABridger



Category: Original Work
Genre: Fantasy, Female Knight, Gangs, Magic, Male-Female Friendship, Street Rats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-06
Updated: 2017-07-21
Packaged: 2018-11-28 09:54:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11415456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaybird91/pseuds/Jaybird91, https://archiveofourown.org/users/LABridger/pseuds/LABridger
Summary: When "street rat" Taren is saved by the Kingdom's Champion Adraine, neither are prepared for the ramifications their meeting will have upon them and the future of their world.  A tale of friendship, treachery, and magic unfolds in this collaborative storytelling project.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is written in collaboration with my friend L.A. Bridger, who is joining AO3 soon. The idea is that we take turns writing chapters in the POV of of our chosen character, and develop the plot of the story as we write. That means that this work is ever-evolving, and even we don't know what will happen next! I will be writing from the POV of Taren and L. A. Bridger will be writing Adraine. I haven't quite figured out formatting on AO3 yet, so it may look a bit weird. This is supposed to be a fun creative writing exercise for us, and we are excited to share this story with you. We hope you enjoy it!

Taren heard the whip before he felt it. _Crack! _He hissed, more out of reflex than actual pain, as the leather bit into his back. The whip hurt like a bitch, but it wasn’t unbearable. He only had to endure fifteen more lashes and then the worst would be over. _Though being sent to the Crags ain’t gonna be much better _, Taren mused before wincing as the whip came down on him again.____

_____One _.__ _ _ _ _

______Gritting his teeth, the youth curled his fingers into fists, his nails digging into his palms. His wrists had been bound together with a leather cord and were strung up high on the whipping post. Turning his head to the left, he glanced out to the crowd surrounding the square._ _ _ _ _ _

_______Two. ____ _ _ _ _ _

________Faces young and old, rich and poor, pitying and scornful, watched as the captain of the city guard brought lash upon lash down upon the thief. Nothing brought the people of Hattenfield together quite like a public whipping. Though close to the capital, the town didn’t boast many visitors. This public display of punishment was likely to be the most excitement the townsfolk would experience all week._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Three. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________The pain was starting to escalate now. With each flick of the whip, the skin on Taren’s exposed back grew more soft and sensitive. He glared at the crowd. Like hell would he be a spectacle for these gawkers._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Four. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________He refused to cry out. Refused to submit to these bastards. Even as his skin split open and the cold air hit his lacerated flesh like salt on a wound. “No fear, Taren. Never show ‘em any weakness,” George had once told him. “They can take yer money, yer food, e’en the clothes of yer back. Once they sees they can hurt ya though…they own you. You’ll never get that back.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________But Taren didn’t want to think about George right now._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________Five. Six. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________Gods were they coming faster now? Through the searing pain he could feel a sticky warmth spread across his back._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______________Seven. Eight. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________He wondered briefly if anyone was going to bother treating his wounds before shipping him to the labor camp. He’d just as likely die from his festering wounds as he would after a few days working at the Crag._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________Nine. Ten. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________He was most of the way through now. Though time was seeming to pass as slow as molasses, he was sure that the whole ordeal so far hadn’t taken more than a minute. _Just a little longer… _he urged his battered body. _Almost there _._____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______________________Silence. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________Taren’s back tensed, anticipating the next blow. It didn’t come. A brief flicker of hope passed through him. Had his tormentor taken pity on him? Had Taren miscounted the blows? Had Kaz and his gang come for him after all? He squirmed, his back stinging and radiating heat. Finally, after what seemed like a small eternity of waiting, he strained his head back to look behind him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________Erryl Garvey, Captain of the Hattenfield city Guard, grinned at him wolfishly, a cruel glint in his eye. Taren’s heart sank to his stomach, cold dread washed over him. As the whip had come faster and faster, his body had begun to numb itself to the pain. Now though…_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________No fear no fear no fear no fear _he silently urged to himself. If he kept repeating it, maybe it would become true. Taren bared his teeth at his captor. _No fear no fear no fear no fear no f- ______ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________________________Eleven. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________________The lash came suddenly and with twice as much force behind it as the others. Taren’s body convulsed involuntarily, his back screaming in agony. He writhed as the pain swept through him, wave after wave. He sucked in lungful after lungful of air trying to steady himself. He couldn’t stop shaking._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______________________________Twelve. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________________________________He came close. He came so fucking close to screaming as the leather bit into his hypersensitive flesh. Tears began to well in Taren’s eyes, so he squeezed them shut and buried his face in the wooden post. Peals of laughter started coming from the townfolk around them. That bastard Garvey was purposefully prolonging each stroke, treating Taren’s punishment like some sort of game for the crowd. Screw him, screw them, screw Kaz, screw all of them! When he got out he was going to-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________________________________Thirteen. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________________Nausea coursed through him like a river. Dots began swimming against his eyelids. Tendrils of darkness tugged at him, urging him to submit to their soothing depths. No… he struggled, thoughts becoming incoherent. _Gotta stay… no fear… I can’t… he’ll… _____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_____________________________________Fourteen. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______________________________________The last thing Taren heard was a woman’s scream, before the darkness finally pulled him under._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	2. Chapter 2

Adraine heard the sharp crack of a whip through the air as she rode into the town of Hattenfield. Ahead she could see the townsfolk gathered in the town's center square. Judging from the sound she just heard a public whipping was taking place. Adraine scowled in annoyance with with everyone watching the whipping she wouldn't be able to get anything to eat until it was over. She had just finished settling another dispute on her way back to the capital from the southern border and she was tired and starving. 

She had been on the southern border for the last 5 years fighting off an invading army. They had managed to fight back the enemy forces, but her troops had taken heavy casualties. It had only taken her troops 2 weeks to reach the capital, but it had taken her 8 months to finally reach this town, thanks to the king's request. Thankfully was the last major town before the capital, as long as nothing happened she would be in capital by late tomorrow. 

She readjusted her position in her saddle wincing as she did. In the last town she had been in a group of bandits had been terrorizing the civilians, she had been able to deal with them easily enough but one of the bandits had been able to get a lucky blow in with an arrow in her side. It wasn’t a lethal blow but it still hurt like hell. She spurred her horse forward and came up behind the crowed. 

As Adraine came closer she could see the person that was receiving the public punishment. It was a boy no older than 16 or 17, she could see that he was using all his strength to hold in his screams of pain. As lash after lash bit into the youths flesh she was impressed at how much he was resolved not to show weakness. This kid must have had a hard life to be able to withstand this level of pain. She had seen countless grown men succumb to whippings before and beg for mercy. 

After about ten lashes the man doing the whipping stopped, Adraine recognized him as Erryl Garvey, Captain of the city Guard. She watched as Garvey purposefully waited for the boy's back to regain feeling before delivering the next lash knowing it would cause his victim more pain. Adraine frowned, she had heard that Garvey had a reputation for prolonging public punishments longer than was necessary for his own enjoyment. While she was in town she would have to have a talk with him about this. As the Kingdom's Champion one of her responsibility was to make sure that officials did not abuse their power. On the fourteenth lash the young boy finally passed out from the pain Garvey brought the whip up for the final lash. 

A shout broke through the air, Adraine wheeled her horse in the direction of the sound drawing her sword as she did. Around her the crowd turned to look in the direction that the woman was shouting and pointing. On the roof of a nearby building she saw a group of people made up of young men each holding a weapon and leering down at the crowd below. Adraine sighed, she was going to have to wait a while longer before she got to eat. She looked around for Garvey expecting him to take control of the situation, but he was still standing by the whipping post mouth agape. Annoyed she rode to the front of the crowed, gaining quite a few startled looks and even more startled exclamations as the crowd realized who she was. She wheeled her horse to face the group on the roof noting their positions as she did.

“Come down from there and explain your reason for interrupting.” Adraine called up to the group on the roof. A young man with a sly face, short black hair, and a long severe scar along his jawline stepped forward and looked down at her with a sneer on his face.

“Looks like we have a special guest today, let's make sure we keep her entertained boys.” the young man drawled to the group of young men around him. As if on cue the group split apart and surrounded the square. Adraine counted at least 20 in the group surrounding the square, they were armed with a wide array of weapons. Immediately five peeled off from the group and head straight for Adraine. The rest held their positions around the square making sure no could leave. 

Adraine spurred her horse forward to meet her attackers, the first one to come at her was a burly blonde haired young man with a spear. She reached for her she shield strapped to her saddle bringing it up to meet the spear. She angled her shield just right so that when the spear struck it a sharp clang wrung out the spear wielder was throw back and his spear was shattered. She felt the jarring impact all the up her arm to her shoulder. Immediately another attacker was on her, this attacker was also wielding a spear. This attacker was smarter than the last he stayed behind her in her blind spot. Unfortunately for him he did not take into account her warhorse. Sensing a threat from behind her horse struck out with his hind leg, Adraine heard sickening crunch as the horse hoof meet the attackers flesh. She did not need to look behind her to this foe would not be getting back up. 

There were only three armed attackers left. Not wanting to risk her warhorse getting injured she dismounted facing her enemies on foot. The last three were more hesitant to face her after how quickly she had taken down her first two opponents. Two young men armed with swords circled her cautiously, while the one with throwing daggers stayed well back watching for an opening. Adraine grunted with pain as she raised her sword. She needed to take care of these guys quickly. She advanced on the one on the left he was a curly haired youth that looked scared stiff at the sight of her. He raised his sword to meet her, she swung up hard intending to disarm him and then knock him out. As her sword reached the arc of its swing fire seared across her side, shit her stitches must have busted. 

Adraine grimaced at the sensation, this moment of hesitation cost her as the other sword wielder came up in her blind spot. He swung his sword at her the blow caught her in the ribs luckily she was wearing her armor otherwise she would have been cleaved in half. She gasped trying to catch her breath, judging from the the sharp radiating pain the blow had broken at least one or two of her ribs. She gritted her teeth now she was mad, she had planned to let these guys off easy with just a few lumps then ship them off to the Crags. She gritted her teeth against another wave of pain. None of these bastards were walking away.

She let out a sharp whistle and her warhorse came charging in scattering her attackers. She sheathed her sword taking a deep breath, what she was about to do would use up the last of strength but it would deal with all her enemies in one blow. She took another deep breath pulling at a tendril of power from one of the twin cores deep within her. She wouldn't need much to finish the three remaining attackers, she felt the wind around her start to pick up. 

She raised her hand and the air swirled around it. Looking at the three young men standing in front of her, she visualized what she wanted to happen. With the vision fixed in her mind she brought her arm down in a slashing motion sending out a wave of hard slicing air straight at her enemies. They had no chance to even look stunned as the slicing air hit them lopping off their heads in one clean strike. 

Out of the corner of her eye she saw one of the group that had surrounded the square head towards the boy who was still hanging unconscious on the whipping post. He had a knife in his hand and she was quite sure he wasn't going to use it to cut him down. Unsheathing her sword she rushed to intercept the would be assassin. She reached them just as the attacker was about to plunge the dagger in the boys back. She knocked the assassin aside and in one swift movement plunged her sword into his chest. 

As she turned to face the rest of the group surrounding the square she heard a sharp whistle. The remaining members moved as one and disappeared into the dark alleys that rimmed the square. Adraine watched them go as soon as she was sure they were gone she sank to the ground her back against the whipping post. Taking deep steadying breaths trying to get the pain in her side under control. Garvey came running forward as soon as the attackers disappeared. He just stood there looking at Adraine and the dead attackers with a shocked expression on his face.

“Don't just stand there Garvey hurry up and get a healer.” Adraine growled “Also book me a room in an inn and bring the boy there too.” she said jerking thumb in the direction of boy still tied to the whipping post. 

“The boy…why?” Garvey ask in confusion 

“Because he needs a healer too and I have some questions to ask him.” Adraine said 

“I don't….” 

“He is obviously a part of that group who just attacked your city, that's why I need him.” Adraine interrupted with a growl before Garvey could say something stupid and waste more of her time. 

“Yes right away!” Garvey said as he rushed away to get a healer and find lodging. Adraine sat against the whipping post doing her best to stay conscious. A few minutes later she saw Garvey rushing towards her with a healer at his side. They can take it from here she thought to herself as she started to slipped into unconsciousness. As her vision blurred she looked over at the boy still tied to the whipping post. What was going on in this town she thought as exhaustion finally overcame her and she finally passed out.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading the first chapter of Of Brigands and Bravery! I hope that you enjoyed reading about Taren, and are excited to learn about Adraine in the next chapter. My friend and I have not done much writing before this, so we would greatly appreciate any comments or feedback you can give us. We are also looking for beta readers, so if you are interested please let us know. Thank you!!!


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